26 March,2026 08:25 AM IST | Mumbai | Subodh Mayure
Rajat Patidar, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant, Shubman Gill, Ajinkya Rahane and Riyan Parag. Pics/AFP, Getty Images
Madhya Pradesh and India Test batter Rajat Patidar led RCB for the first time in IPL 2025 and helped Virat Kohli's team win their maiden IPL title after 17 long years. Patidar managed just 312 runs from 15 IPL matches last season and even while leading his state team MP in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, he scored just 113 runs in eight matches. IPL-19 is a big opportunity for Patidar to prove himself in the shortest format and also impress the national selectors.
For Pune-born India discard and Chennai Super Kings captain Ruturaj Gaikwad, the upcoming IPL is a huge opportunity to prove his ability again. In IPL-18, CSK finished last with just four wins, while Gaikwad was ruled out after just five games due to an elbow injury and ended up scoring 122 runs. As this could most likely be the final IPL season for MS Dhoni, 44, Gaikwad will be hoping to win a record sixth IPL title for CSK as the perfect parting gift for his ex-captain.
India's ODI vice-captain Shreyas Iyer led from the front to take Punjab Kings to the IPL-18 final last season. He was among the top six batters, scoring 604 runs at an impressive strike-rate of 175.07. However, despite his dominant show, the attacking Mumbai-based batter failed to find a place in the Suryakumar Yadav-led India T20 World Cup team. Iyer, who has scored 3731 runs in 133 IPL games, will be aiming to prove his mettle again to make a comeback to the India T20 side. And winning the IPL trophy, he missed last year, will be a masterstroke.
175.07
Punjab Kings's Shreyas Iyer's strike-rate in IPL 2025 - the highest among captains
Just a few years ago Rishabh Pant was Team India's first choice wicketkeeper-batter across all formats. Pant also became the most expensive player in IPL history after being picked by LSG for Rs 27 crore ahead of IPL 2025. However, he managed just 269 runs in 14 games and eventually lost his place in the national team. Recently, he had a few batting sessions under the watchful eyes of former India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh in Mumbai. Only time will tell whether that will help him regain his form.
India's Test captain Shubman Gill was Suryakumar Yadav's deputy just before the recent T20 World Cup, but lost his place due to poor form. The stylish Gujarat Titans opener and skipper had a good IPL-18, finishing among the top four run-getters with 650 runs, including six half-centuries. Gill, who has represented India in 36 T20Is, will be keen to overcome the T20 World Cup snub and the best way to do it is by excelling in IPL-19.
650
Total runs scored by GT's Shubman Gill in IPL 2025 - the highest among captains
Top-order batter Ajinkya Rahane is always remembered for leading India to a spectacular Test series win in Australia in 2020-21. Rahane, who last played a T20I against the West Indies in 2016, has been retained as KKR's skipper despite his team finishing eighth at the last IPL. Also, with the team management naming attacking batter Rinku Singh, 28, as his deputy, the Mumbai veteran batter will be under more pressure to deliver.
Rajasthan Royals skipper Riyan Parag is the youngest captain at IPL-19 and even low on experience when compared to the rest. Parag scored 393 runs last season, but it was not enough for RR to progress, and they finished second-last with just four wins. There has also been criticism about Parag's appointment as captain given the presence of experienced Indian cricketers like Ravindra Jadeja and Yashasvi Jaiswal. Parag will be hoping to silence all critics with his willow.
